Als je begrijpt wat ik bedoel (1983) Directed by Harrie Geelen, Bjørn Frank Jensen & Bert Kroon

(Review originally written at 13 April 2004)

"Als je begrijpt wat ik bedoel" is based on a very popular Dutch cartoon figure which whom whole generations grew up with. The movie knows to capture the comic book feeling on screen, which makes the nostalgic value of the movie very high.

Even though the movie has a fun feeling the undertone is dramatic and emotional, which is the most powerful thing of the movie. It is a movie that even the most tough adults will be moved by and it isn't unusual for some to shed some tears.

The character (even though they are animals) are very humane and realistic which makes the emotions work even better. The characters are brought to life by an excellent voice cast.

The quality however is not very good. The movie looks sloppy and outdated. The animations are pretty standard and simple but effective. There are some weird musical numbers that are far from good and also the music itself doesn't quite seem to fit the movie and is used at weird periods throughout the movie.

See it for the nostalgic value, however if you live outside the Netherlands or Belgium you can not fully appreciate this movie and it might not be worth your time.

7/10

Watch trailer